Fort Worth Zoo Shares Most Precious Moment Between Gorilla Mom and Baby
A baby gorilla and his mom shared a very sweet moment at Fort Worth Zoo and luckily for us it was caught on camera. Bruno is a 1-1/2-year-old Western Lowland Gorilla, and he's just like a human toddler. He loves to play and be mischievous, and in this video, he's laughing and having a great time with his mom Gracie as she tickles him!
The video is short - it's less than 20 seconds long - and shows Bruno rolling around on the ground in front of his mom as she 'tickles' him. You can see his big smile as he enjoys the attention. I wonder if he was laughing as she tickled him!
Fort Worth Zoo celebrated Bruno's first birthday on November 6th, 2023. At that time, they shared that he remains close to mom, "...but has started exploring and adventuring a little more on his own. He can be frequently seen climbing on habitat structures, exploring his surroundings or playing with sticks."
The zoo also shared, "Bruno is very interested in playing with his brother, Gus, but Gus is still learning how to play gently. Bruno has also started practicing nest-building – mimicking mom Gracie who makes the nest at bedtime. He is still nursing but is also interested in foods that his mom is eating (just like a real baby)!" He's hitting all of his milestones!
Related: Gorilla Mom Lovingly Watches as Her Baby Plays on the Swing for the First Time
Facts About Infant Gorillas
It sounds like Bruno's first couple of years are very similar to a human baby's first years. Baby animals are so fun to watch because they are so playful and curious about the world around them. For the first six months of their lives, gorillas are attached to mom 24/7, usually by holding on to her stomach or back. Willie is getting brave and starting to explore more independently but his mom is always very close by. He will continue to stay with mom for the first four years of life, during which time the two spend time bonding and mom teaches him how to groom, find food, how to build a nest of his own, and introducing him to the males.
Interestingly, infant gorillas spend time with their dads. All moms look forward to some alone time, and gorilla dads will occasionally let their little ones sleep in their nest with them. I'm sure Bruno's mom would appreciate some 'me' time!
The zoo shared another fact about western lowland gorillas. They are considered a critically endangered species, "with declining numbers due to illegal hunting, disease, habitat alteration and low reproductive rates." Zoos are committed to conservation of endangered animals, and Bruno will help keep those numbers moving back up once he's old enough to mate. But that's going to be awhile since males don't mate until they are about 15 years old. Until then, I hope the zoo continues to share his milestones and sweet moments like this - they totally make my day!
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